The Lost Child: 9th Class CBSE English Moments Chapter 1

The Lost Child: NCERT 9th Class CBSE English Moments Chapter 01

Question – The Lost Child: What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Answer – The Lost Child: The child saw many things on his way to the fair. He got fascinated by the toys in the shops. After that, he saw a flowering mustard-field. He then followed a group of butterflies and dragon-flies and tried to catch them. After that, he gets attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath. Meanwhile, his parents keep calling him to hurry up. As he entered the grove, a shower of young flowers fell upon him. He stopped and tried to collect all of them. However, as soon as he heard the cooing of doves, he forgot about the flowers and ran towards his parents shouting, “The dove! The dove!” He was also fascinated by sweetmeats, flowers, balloons and the tricks of the snake charmer. As he entered the fair, he was both fascinated and repelled by the confusion. He kept lagging behind because he was fascinated by every other thing he saw on his way to the fair.

Question: In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Answer: The child wanted many things at the fair. His eyes first set on the shop of a sweetmeat seller. His mouth watered for the burfi, which was his favourite sweet. He knew his plea would not be heeded because his parents would call him greedy. Therefore, he moved on. He then saw a flower-seller. He was irresistibly drawn towards the flowers and wanted a garland. However, he knew his parents would refuse saying that they were cheap. Hence, he moved further ahead. He was then carried away by the colors of the different balloons and had an overwhelming desire to possess them. He moved ahead without asking his parents as he knew they would say that he was too old to play with such toys. He next went towards a snake charmer. However, knowing that his parents had forbidden him from hearing such coarse music as the snake charmer played, he carried on.

The boy moved on without waiting for an answer because he knew that his request would be denied at each step.

Question: When does he realize that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Answer: After getting fascinated by a number of things, he finally set his eyes on a roundabout swing. He intently watched the men, women and children who were enjoying the ride. He finally made a bold request and asked his parents to let him ride the swing. When he heard no reply, he turned around to look for his parents. It was then that he realized that he was lost. A full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and he suddenly ran from where he stood. He cried in real fear and called out to his parents. Tears rolled down from his eyes. His flushed face was convulsed with fear. As he was panic-stricken, he ran in all directions searching for his parents. Later, his cries were suppressed into sobs. He kept looking for his parents and calling out to them.

Question: Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Answer: The child lost interest in the things that he wanted earlier as he was lost and wanted to see his parents immediately. The man who saw that he was lost tried to distract his attention so that he would not panic. He tried to soothe him by taking him to the roundabout, but the child refused asking only for his parents. The man then asked the child to listen to the music played by the snake-charmer. However, the child shut his ears and shouted that he wanted his parents. Then, the man asked if he wanted a balloon, but the child’s reply was the same. The man still kept trying to make him happy and asked if he wanted a garland to put around his neck. He also took him to the sweetmeat shop. However, the child’s answer to all his questions was the same. He only wanted to see his parents. He had lost interest in everything because he wanted only one thing: he wanted to be with his parents. Since he was lost nothing else pleased him.

Question: What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Answer: It seems that the child would have eventually found his parents with the help of the man. The man would have managed to calm him down. He was reliable and good-natured as is evident in the story in the many ways in which he tried to help the child. He would have asked the child for a description of his parents and would have finally helped him locate them.

Question: How did the child react when there was no sign of his parents?

Answer: The child was very innocent. He gets confused and panic-stricken on not seeing his parents. He felt lonely without his parents amidst so much of crowd. The man who tries to console the child also does not achieve any success as the boy only needs his parents and no monetary benefit.

Question: Where did the child go with his parents? What did he want there?

Answer: The child went to a fair with his parents. He wanted garlands, balloons and sweets over there. He also wanted to see the snake and take a ride on the swing.

Question: Why did the lost child refuse to take his favourite things in the fair after loosing his parents?

Answer: The child refused to take his favourite things in the fair after he lost his parents as he missed them and wanted to meet them only. Now, he had lost interest in all his favourite things.

Question: How did the mother distract the child’s mind from the toy seller?

Answer: The mother distracted the child’s mind from the toy seller by pointing towards a flowering mustard field. He saw colorful dragon flies and staffed running after them.

Question: How was the child separated from his parents?

Answer: The boy was attracted to toys, balloons and sweets in the fair. He got fascinated with the flute music being played by the snake charmer. While watching the roundabout swing he got separated from his parents.

Question – The Lost Child: What happened when the lost child reached the temple door?

Answer: When the child reached the temple door men jostled each other. The poor child struggled to thrust his way out but was knocked. He might have been trampled if he had not shouted at his highest pitch.

Question – The Lost Child: Who rescued the lost child? What did he offer to buy him?

Answer: The man in the shrine rescued the lost child. He lifted him up in his arms and tried to soothe him. He took him to the nearest roundabout swing and offered to buy him flowers, balloons and sheets.

Question – The Lost Child: Parents were in a hurry to reach the fair but the child was delaying them. How?

Answer: The boy got distracted by toys which he wanted to buy, butterflies and dragon flies which he wanted to catch and flowers that he wanted to gather. And, out of pine innocence he delayed his parents to reach the’fair.

Question: What was the first reaction of the child when he realized that he had lost his parents?

Answer: The child panicked when he realized that he had lost his parents. He was puzzled, angry and desperate. He cried and shouted for his parents. He ran here and there to look for his parents.

Question: Why didn’t the boy wait for an answer after he had pleaded for sweets?

Answer: The boy didn’t wait for an answer after life had pleaded for sweets because he knew that his parents would say that he was greedy and would refuse to buy the sweets.

Question: What happened when the “lost child” entered the grove? How did he enjoy there?

Answer: When the “lost child” entered the grove, a shower of young flowers fell upon him. He began to gather the raining petals. He heard the cooing of doves and ran towards his parents. He had a fun filled splendid time in the grove.

Question: What changes do you notice in the behaviour of the child, once he is separated from his parents in the story “The Lost Child”?

Answer: A child along with his parents had been to a fair. He was very excited and happy with the stalls of toys and sweets. He gets separated from his parents and starts crying. He runs hither and thither in search of his parents, but in vain. Since the place was overcrowded he got real scared. He started crying as he was all alone. A kind hearted man offers him many things but he refuses. The child who wanted everything from the fair was now not interested in any of these things as he only yearned to be with his parents.

Question: Compare the attitude of the child before and after his separation from his parents.

Answer: Before separation the child was very happy and excited at the fair. He was fascinated with all the things that were displayed at the stalls. He wanted to have all the things like his favourite toys, sweets, flowers, etc. He also wanted to go for a ride. But after separation the boy just wanted to be with his parents. He was not interested in any of those things which he kept longing to have from the stalls. In the absence of his parents these things did not give him any satisfaction.

Question: How did the man who found the little boy in the fair, try to soothe him?

Answer: The man who found the little boy in the fair tried every possible way to soothe him. He took him to a roundabout swing then offered a horse ride, tried to make him listen to the snake charmer’s song and offered him a balloon, as he thought that this would distract his mind, but in vain. He offered him flowers and sweets, but the child kept crying. The child could not be distracted by any of the things at the fair as he longed to be with his parents.

Question – The Lost Child: How do you know that the lost child was a nature – lover?

Answer: The child was attracted to the nature’s little aspects because of his innocence. When his mother diverted his attention towards the mustard field he saw the flowers which were in the nascent stage and flowering. The flowers of the field were pale like melting gold. He then saw a group of dragon flies which were bustling about on their gandy purple wings, intercepting the flight of a lone black bee or butterfly in search of sweetness from the flowers. The child wanted to catch those dragon this but they went away fluttering and flapping. He also got attracted to the little insects and worms along the footh that were teeming out from their hiding places to enjoy the Sunshine. A shower of young flowers fell upon the child as he entered the fair. He forgot about his parents and began to gather the raining petals in his hands. Again when he heard the cooing of doves, he ran towards his parents shouting about them.

Question: What all things did the child get attracted to, once be entered the fair? Was he able to get all the things he desired? What happened when he made a bold request to his parents?

Answer – The Lost Child: With a wide mouth, he stared at the sight of burfi. Later he was attracted to a garland of gulmohur and was carried away by the rainbow glory of the colored balloons. He wanted them all but, on the other hand, he also knew the answers of his parents, so he convinced himself and did not ask them for anything. Finally, he made a bold request for going on the roundabout. As he turned to get their reply, he could not find them behind him.